In Asian Equity Markets indices were mostly higher on Friday, as investors watched for developments from the Korean peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the inter-Korean Summit for talks. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.42 percent and the Topix index added 0.14 percent. In Australia, the ASX 200 rose 0.29 percent in afternoon trade, with most sectors gaining. Energy and materials were up 0.29 percent and 0.51 percent, respectively. Chinese mainland markets were mixed, with the Shanghai composite down 0.44 percent. The Shenzhen composite rose 0.22 percent. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index rose 0.2 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar held near a 3-1/2-month high against a basket of currencies on Friday as higher U.S. yields prompted an unwinding of short positions in the currency while the euro was hampered by a dovish tone from the ECB. The euro, in which speculators held record long position, fell to $1.20965 in the previous session, its lowest level since Jan. 12. It last stood at $1.2112, and is down 1.4 percent on the week. The common currency slid on Thursday after ECB chief Mario Draghi acknowledged evidence of a “pull-back” from exceptional growth readings seen around the turn of the year, although the central bank sought to bolster expectations for a gradual withdrawal of its monetary stimulus.

In Commodities Markets oil prices edged lower on Friday, but Brent largely held its gains from the previous session amid concerns that Iran may face renewed sanctions, choking off supply. Global benchmark Brent crude futures were down 29 cents, or 0.4 percent, at $74.45 a barrel, after rising 1 percent on Thursday U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 28 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $67.91 a barrel. The contract gained 0.2 percent the previous session. Brent is heading for a third week of gains, up by 0.5 percent, while WTI is set to drop 0.7 percent for the week. Brent has gained 5.9 percent this month on expectations the United States will renew sanctions.

In US Equity Markets stocks advanced on Thursday with each of Wall Street’s major indexes ending the session up 1 percent or higher, boosted by solid earnings results and a rebound in technology stocks as U.S. bond yields pulled back. The tech-heavy Nasdaq snapped a five-day losing streak while the S&P technology index booked its first up day in six sessions. Facebook surged 9.1 percent after posting an impressive earnings beat, which appeared to calm worries about the fallout from its use of consumer data. The S&P 500 gained 1.04 percent, to 2,666.94 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.64 percent, to 7,118.68.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields fell on Thursday, with the 10-year yield dipping below 3 percent as buyers emerged following a week-long selloff. The U.S. Treasury Department sold $29 billion in seven-year notes to solid investor demand at a yield of 2.952 percent, the highest in eight years. The seven-year auction marked the final leg of this week’s $96 billion in fixed-rate coupon-bearing supply. The two-year yield was marginally higher at 2.492 percent after peaking at 2.508 percent the prior day, a level last seen in September 2008. The 10-year Treasury yield was down nearly 3 basis points at 2.996 percent. It touched 3.035 percent on Wednesday, which was its highest since January 2014.